Light in Darkness
by theforgetfulalchemist
Summary: Years after the events of Twilight Princess, Midna has returned to Hyrule and she and Link have settled down to a normal, quiet life in Ordon. But they unexpectedly have to take on their biggest challenge: raising the only half-Twili child in existence. Link's life has always been a mixture of light in darkness, but what will it mean for his son to belong to both worlds?
1. Chapter 1

Link was riding Epona through the heart of Hyrule Field when he saw her.

He reined in his horse, squinting in the dying sunlight as someone blocked his path.

"What, no 'hello'? Is there no taming the feral beast?"

As they moved forward, becoming more visible, Link stared into red and yellow eyes he hadn't seen for two long years.

"I missed you, Wolf Boy."

She was tall, as tall as he remembered her being when he last saw her. Like then, her orange hair was long and luxurious, not the matted ponytail he was used to. Her smile, instead of a sarcastic sneer, was radiant.

Even when she began to smirk playfully, it was beautiful.

"Why so surprised, Link?" Midna asked softly. "I said I'd see you later."

Like two years ago, his voice left him at the sight of his best friend's true form.

So he responded by vaulting from Epona and knocking her over with the force of his hug.

* * *

Link was tending to his flock in the pasture at the north end of Ordon Village when she told him the news.

He had just gotten off Epona to pet a goat that was grazing. He was wiping the grime and sweat from his forehead when Midna came up the dirt path and swung the gate open.

"Shoo! Shoo!" She waved at a goat who bleated and scampered off.

Even after years of living in Ordon, she had never taken a liking to the animals.

She flashed Link her trademark tough-guy grin uncertainly as though she were saying _We can take on the world together…right?_

"So…um…Link…remember when I said we, uh, probably weren't having any brats of our own?"

Link nodded.

Midna grimaced.

"Well…uh…oops."

Link gaped.

"But…you said… you said we _couldn't!_"

Midna rolled her eyes.

"I said I didn't _think _we could. It's not like matches like us happen every day."

"When…?"

"Not for a while yet, Wolfie."

* * *

"A while" turned out to be five months.

"You are coming to Castletown to have the baby and that is absolutely final." Zelda had declared firmly, gripping Midna's hand.

Midna's eyes just rolled in exasperation.

She had been doing a lot of that lately.

"That's probably best." Link put in, setting a cup of tea for their guest on Rusl's table.

For the last few months, Midna had not been able to get up and down from Link's tree house so Rusl had let the couple stay with him and his family.

Midna glared at Link witheringly.

"Don't take her side."

He put up his hands placatingly.

"No side-taking has occurred. I'm just saying, the castletown has the best doctors."

"I just don't like the idea of my daughter being born where that _blight_ sat."

"_I_ sit there now." Zelda said. "It is not blighted any longer."

But Link was fixated on another issue.

"You're sure it's a girl? It could be a boy." He pointed out.

"Uh, is the little monster in _you _because I didn't think so."

"The sex of the child is not determined." Zelda agreed. "But I am. You two will be guests in my home until he or she arrives."

"Nothing's determined!" Midna groused.

But it was two against one.

* * *

After Zelda had fallen asleep, Midna was sitting on Rusl's front step, enjoying the warm summer night air. Link joined her, putting his arm around her.

She leaned in.

"You shouldn't call him a monster, you know."

Midna laughed bitterly, grabbing Link's hand.

"With us as parents? Link, this child is…is a little piece of light in darkness. What else would you call that?"

"I don't know. But not a bad thing, that's for sure."

Midna sniffed.

"Link, it's a mix of light and dark, our two worlds. That's not supposed to happen. It's…wrong."

"Are you saying _we're_ wrong?"

Midna chuckled.

"I don't think so. But I think the universe sure does."

"We've proven the universe wrong before, old friend."

Midna grinned and for a second he saw the mischievous imp he saved the world with.

"So you're saying let's do it again, huh?"

Link smiled.

* * *

Link was waiting behind the ornate oak door to the castle's hospital wing when it was over.

Zelda opened the door excitedly, beaming.

"Link come quickly! Oh, he's such a healthy boy, you won't believe."

"Woah!"

She pulled him by the sleeve. He skittered on the white marble floor as she marched him to a bedroom at the far corner of the wing, past the rows and rows of hospital beds.

In the middle of the purple velvet carpet, in a large four-poster bed with a red canopy, sat Midna holding a squirming bundle.

Through an army of nurses fussing over her and giving her instructions she smiled at Link as though she were saying _The universe has been called into questioned, my friend._

"Come hold your son, Wolf Boy." She ordered giddily.

He held his breath as he walked up to inspect the little thing sucking his thumb in his mother's arms.

Until now he hadn't known what to expect his child to be like but he couldn't help thinking the outcome was perfect.

He had pale grey skin and the pointed ears of the ancient Hylian race. A thick bramble of bright orange hair covered his head. His beady eyes opened to reveal his mother's red and yellow color.

There were rumors around the castle. The boy was an abomination. Grotesque. He didn't look human. He didn't fully look Twili either. He was unnatural.

"He's beautiful." Zelda breathed, cradling him by the fire in her study.

"Well, you two." she said, handing him over to Midna. "Time to come clean. He goes home tomorrow. Does his aunt get to know what she will call him tonight?"

"We were thinking Daphnes." Link told her.

"_You_ were thinking Daphnes."

"_I_ was thinking Daphnes."

"It's a good, strong name." Zelda said approvingly. "A king's name. It was my father's."

Link nodded, his expression determined.

"It's a name that commands respect. And that's what people will do. Respect him."

He took the baby from his mother and looked at him. The child burped and nestled closer to his father.

He didn't see a monster. He saw his baby son. He would prove the universe wrong.

_A/N: To be continued. I just really love the idea of a half-twili and how the world would react to one looking different and the powers they would probably develop as they got older. This will basically be Link and Midna fighting for acceptance for their son while teaching him to control his abilities along with the usual challenges and joys of family. Thank you for reading!I hope you enjoyed it and please tell me what you think!_


	2. Chapter 2

The world almost ended again when Link needed a babysitter for the first time.

"Renado, I needed you to watch Nes for a while!" he said quickly as lava rained down from Death Mountain and the earth shook.

Midna nodded urgently, holding Daphnes up to him.

The three-year-old wiggled in her arms and puffed out his cheeks in a sullen pout.

Renado just stood at his door, stunned.

"I…I…"

"Here, quick!" Midna said, thrusting Daphnes into his arms as Link fumbled with his sword, looking grimly at the storm clouds over the mountain.

"But…but what does he…what should I feed him?"

"He likes mashed potatoes!" Midna told him exasperatedly.

"Potatoes." Daphnes confirmed dully.

And as suddenly as they appeared, Link and Midna sped off, leaving their toddler in his hands.

Renado stood gaping for a moment before regarding the boy, who looked up at him moodily.

But Daphnes couldn't keep his glare long before becoming tearful.

"You're not Father!" he wailed sulkily.

"There, there…your father will be back soon."

"No!"

Renado had tried to hold Daphnes closer to comfort him but he frowned grumpily and wrestled free, floating like a ghost above Renado's head.

"The child can fly. Why shouldn't the child fly." He muttered to himself flatly in astonishment.

"I'm going to Father!" Daphnes informed him.

That broke Renaldo's daze.

"Wait! Where are you going!?"

Daphnes raised his pudgy hands and he promptly dissipated into dark particles that shot up into the sky, leaving Renaldo to stare helplessly at empty air.

Just then, Luda was walking down Kakariko's main street.

"Father?" She asked, halting. "What's wrong, Father?"

Renado just continued to stare mutely.

* * *

Miles away, on the summit of Death Mountain, in the heart of the Goron Mines, Link and Midna stood breathing hard over the body of a dragon.

Link was propped on his sword and Midna had her hands out in front of her, having just used magic to create a barrier during the fight.

They began to smile faintly at each other in victory when they looked up in alarm at the familiar sound of a teleportation portal opening.

Sure enough, one was forming right over them. But nothing was coming out.

They looked at each other in confusion.

Then suddenly, a small figure rocketed down onto Link's head, making him almost lose his balance.

"Nes!?"

Daphnes climbed down to Link's shoulders and laughed.

"Yay! I found Father!" He cheered.

He chanted "I found Father! I found Father!" as Link and Midna stared at each other.

This was going to be harder than they thought.

_A/N: Daphnes, the daddy's boy._

_Thank you for reading! It's a short chapter, but I hope you liked it!_


	3. Chapter 3

It was a foggy morning on the banks of Lake Hylia.

Daphnes crouched at the edge of the water, staring fascinatedly at a school of fish.

He had recently turned ten and he was slowly growing into his early growth spurt; he had inherited the tall height of his mother. His grey skin looked ghostly and his yellow-red eyes shone in the dim early light.

Link came up behind him with two fishing rods and sat down with a grunt.

"See, Nes? Aren't you glad I drug you out here?" He asked, handing Daphnes a pole.

His son looked up and beamed.

"Yes, Father!"

"Want to try catching some?"

"Okay!"

Link showed him how to bait and cast the fishing rod, but his son wasn't getting the hang of it. He kept overshooting, getting more and more frustrated.

Link laughed.

"It's all in the wrist. Here, watch."

He sent his line flying into the water. After a few minutes, it began to strain and he hauled a fish onto the shore. It was small but he grinned proudly and said

"You just have to have patience, Nes."

Daphnes made a face.

"But being patient's boring!"

"You are so much like your mother."

"Mother says pateince just means you're being lazy."

"I know she does."

Daphnes smiled mischievously.

"She taught me a trick for fishing."

He raised his hand and concentrated.

Suddenly a fish burst out of the surface of the lake. It levitated by the direction of Daphnes' hand to land next to Link's fish.

"You have to be careful about doing that, Daphnes." His father reminded him gently.

"Yes, sir." He responded, chastised.

There was silence.  
"Yesterday, I accidentally broke some of Uncle Colin's pots that way."

"I know. He told me."

"I think the others are scared of me. They think…they think I'll hurt them."

Link sighed and put his hands on his son's shoulders.

"It's like I said…Ah!"

Daphnes' fishing rod had a bite. Link seized it and reeled in a large bass that had swum up from the deeper waters.

"…you just have to be patient."


	4. Chapter 4

Daphnes stared wide eyed as the sun rose on Casteltown.

He slipped through the wooden front gate between his parents, craning his neck to see the gables of the castle high above. He never saw anything so big at home.

Or a town with so many people.

As the sun continued to rise, they came out of their homes and joined Daphnes' family on the street, heading to work or school. The quiet hum of insects in the night gave way to the murmur of a city beginning its day.

His mother took his hand as more people bustled onto the streets.

Suddenly he heard light laughter. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed a group of three boys playing with a rubber ball in an alley.

He glanced shiftily at his mother and father, who were trying to read a map and veer off to a less populous side street at the same time.

He grinned and let go of his mother's hand, running across the street.

The boys shouted excitedly as they played until they kicked their ball in Daphnes' direction.

It landed at his feet and he smiled.

"Hi! I'm Daphnes! Can I play too?"

They stared silently, unsure what to make of this strange newcomer.

The oldest shifted nervously as the youngest ran over and snatched the ball from enemy territory. He glared up at Daphnes and the group petered off to another street to play.

Daphnes stood there dejectedly. Crestfallen, he was about to return to his parents.

Suddenly, he heard a small howl.

"Oh, where is that child?" Midna groused, pushing her way through the crowds of Castletown, raising her voice over the noise so that Link could hear.

"Don't worry." Link told her distractedly, cheerfully eying every person, vendor's stall, and building on the street. "We haven't been to Castletown in a long time. He's probably just exploring."

Midna smiled as they finally found an alleyway without a thick crowd.

"He_ is_ just like you."

Link laughed.

"I said the same thing to him about you."

"Well, Link, we have to find him, he could be…what's that noise?"

Link concentrated.

"Baying dogs? And…kittens?"

They turned around to see Daphnes marching up the street to them, clumsily holding a puppy … one of about a dozen eagerly following him. Several kittens pattered along beside them.

"Look, Mother, Father!" He called. "The other kids wouldn't play with me, so I made some new friends!"

Link and Midna gaped. A puppy barked.

"I take it back." Link said. "He is definitely mine."

_A/N: Thank you for the follows! I hope you liked it and pleas tell me what you think! _


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